Almost one in five people who took an overseas holiday last summer had issues with their trip, with younger people far more likely to encounter difficulties, new research from the consumer watchdog suggests.
According to data published by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), 2,700 people contacted its helplines with complaints about travel last year.
People got in touch to highlight problems with scam websites, poor quality hotels and lost luggage among other issues.
The research found that holidaymakers spent an average of almost €2,500 on flights and accommodation last summer with 16 per cent saying they had experienced issues with foreign holidays between May and August of last year. Most involved flight delays and rescheduled flights.
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Those aged between 18 and 24 were most likely to encounter issues, with 29 per cent of the cohort saying they had been affected to at least some degree.
“When I picked this hotel there was a photo with a beautiful beach which was the only reason I booked it – it was a four-hour round trip from the beach to the hotel,” one person told the CCPC.
“My son and his friends decided to rent a villa in Ibiza through what looked to be a legitimate website. He ended up paying over €4,000 to secure the booking. It turned out to be a scam,” said another.
A third person who contacted CCPC helplines said an airline had lost their suitcase en route to a skiing trip in Switzerland. “I paid for two lessons, but I couldn’t go because I didn’t have my ski gear.”
It was a four-hour round trip from the beach to the hotel
— Holidaymaker who contacted CCPC
Another consumer highlighted how they had booked a package holiday to Spain and had been paying it off in instalments. “I missed a payment and now my holiday is cancelled, and my deposit is gone.”
According to the data, 23 per cent of holidaymakers booked a package holiday last summer and the CCPC pointed out that they would have been able to “rely on their agent to make alternative plans for them if something goes wrong, but if you’ve organised your own trip, a missed flight or cancelled accommodation could be costly”.
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The research also found that as many as one in three holidaymakers travelled without insurance, rising to almost half of those under the age of 35.
The CCPC is warning consumers to expect the unexpected not just while away, but also in the period before their holiday and said that in the event of a strike or an extreme weather event a traveller who tries to buy insurance after the issues come to light, may find they are not covered.
“CCPC research shows that Irish holidaymakers are spending €2,500 on average for their foreign summer holiday. That’s a considerable amount of money, so travellers should think about potential pitfalls that could ruin their plans,” said the CCPC’s deputy director of communications Orla Delargy.
“Three in five of those who travelled abroad either have insurance or buy it with the holiday. If you’re travelling uninsured you need to expect the unexpected, and bear in mind that late insurance purchase may not cover you for some events.”
I missed a payment and now my holiday is cancelled, and my deposit is gone
— Holidaymaker who contacted CCPC
The CCPC also advised consumers to be “wary of unexpected offers, especially from unsolicited emails or social media ads” and encouraged consumers to do their proper research and check the likes of Trustpilot or Reddit for reviews.
It reminded holidaymakers to review the cancellation and refund policies before booking and to pay securely using credit or debit cards and avoid making payments through bank transfers which can be much harder to trace should things go wrong.
